Who, What, Where

Bill Bond from Griffin, GA. Started two years ago to provide jobs for my two middle kids (two older ones already married). Now one is getting married and my son and the baby girl hates cutting grass. I however, love it and hope to go to full time (the sooner the better). Thanks to my wife's prompts I started out with great equipment.<p>Started with:<br>XW2500-60 Dixie Chopper (had the famous head gasket replacement two months before warranty ran out)<br>Stihl edger, trimmer, and backpack blower<br>7X16 open trailer with electric brakes, equipment rack, and box.<br>Burned the tranny out of my wife's Chevy Astro van pulling the rig.<p>Equipment added:<p>1976 Ford pickup with 360cid and C-6 tranny (truck only had 38,000 miles when I bought it - still had the original, though dry-rotted Firestone spare). I get lots of looks and comments at the gas stations (which I can't seem to pass without stopping now) and the thing pulls my trailer with all equipment almost like its not there.<br>Stihl pole hedge trimmer and Sthil short hedge trimmer<br>Pull-behind Giant Vac vacuum<br>Pull-behind utility trailer<br>Pull-behind and push type fertilizer spreaders<br>Stihl chain saw (after storms late winter dropped trees in several of my customer yards). Actually had a great old Poulan saw but it caught on fire one day and it took too long to get to a fire extinquisher (great lesson learned)<br>plus many small manual tools<p>I have one account that I call residential though it is more of an estate and is a lot bigger than many commercial accounts. The only other residences I do belong (1) to the owner of my apartments and (2) his property manager. The rest of my accounts are: two apartments, one office complex, one large church, and one resturant. Still grossed over $21K last year.<p>I'll be taking my pesticide test next Tuesday (aren't you proud of me Lawrence?) and have a bid in for a commercial account that will take me to full time if I get it (should know in three weeks)<p>Thanks to all posters for the great info and the many belly laughs I've gotten on this forum.<p>Just wanted to update my entry. As of July 1 I'll be full time. I got the contract I had bid on. To handle the new contract I have purchased a new 36&quot; Toro WB and an 52&quot; Toro WB with sulky. The new contract has lots of hills and several small fenced in areas. The 52&quot; can also act as a backup to the Dixie Chopper.<br><p><font size="1">Edited by: bondlawn

My name is Tim im 19 and have owned my company for 7 years ,worked with my brother before that,I was home schooled since 3rd grade so that gave me a chance to work from noon on evryday I wanted to.When I started out i had a honda 21&quot; hr214 and a ryobi line trimmer,and a cheap handheld blower.As I picked up more customers I moved up in equipment and now my equipment is as follows:<p>99 F250 diesel<br>2000 60&quot;25hp deluxe dixie chopper flatlander<br>2000 kubota 2400hst 4wd with frontloader,bush hog(slasher),box blade<br>97 36&quot;gravley wb<br>96 40&quot;gravley ztr <br>16ft open trailer<br>99 robin line trimmer<br>99 robin hedge trimmer<br>98 echo stick edger<br>96 echo hedger<br>00 maruama backback<br>97 echo 12&quot; chain saw<br>99 echo chain saw-big<br>99 echo power prunner extendable<br>and some misc. hand tools <p>Tim Campbell,<br>Clean Cut Lawn Care<p>cleancutlawncare@hotmail.com<p><br>

My name is Tim im 19 and I live in Brandon,Florida and have owned my company for 7 years ,worked with my brother before that,I was home schooled since 3rd grade so that gave me a chance to work from noon on evryday I wanted to.I also worked for a service shop on the side for almost a year when i was 17 to build some knowledge.When I started out i had a honda 21&quot; hr214 and a ryobi line trimmer,and a cheap handheld blower.As I picked up more customers I moved up in equipment and now my equipment is as follows:<p>99 F250 diesel<br>2000 60&quot;25hp deluxe dixie chopper flatlander<br>2000 kubota 2400hst 4wd with frontloader,bush hog(slasher),box blade<br>97 36&quot;gravley wb<br>96 40&quot;gravley ztr <br>16ft open trailer<br>99 robin line trimmer<br>99 robin hedge trimmer<br>98 echo stick edger<br>96 echo hedger<br>00 maruama backback<br>97 echo 12&quot; chain saw<br>99 echo chain saw-big<br>99 echo power prunner extendable<br>and some misc. hand tools <p>Tim Campbell,<br>Clean Cut Lawn Care<p>cleancutlawncare@hotmail.com<p><br>

Hey Y'all from down south.<br>ga here.<br>Left my full time job after 13 years<br>and started with:<br>86 mazda b2000<br>4x12 ratty trailer<br>sthil fs74<br> br400<br> McClane push edger<br> push broom<br> shovels<br> 2 21 snapper/1 4cycle/1 2cycle<br>today in my fourth season<br>2 walkers water cooled / 1 for parts<br>1 toro 21'' 2 cycle<br>stihl br400,021,hs80,hl75k,fs74,and there stickedger/general earth argur/e-z trencher with bed shaper attch.5hp preasure washer<br>steel spade and digging shovels/irriagation<br>tools.<br>1989 toro 36&quot; belt drive(avgerage down time per year about 5 hrs.<br>with velke<br>7x12 trailer<br>80 dodge 1 ton walk though van (helps keep all my walkaway toys secure<br>mtd 5 hp tiller<br>loppers/prunners/extended tree prunners<br>and a life saver a water main key,stick welder,power tools .<br>I have been greatly blessed still working by my self and growing,winter months are still a struglle but sooner or later it will also change...i hope....i service /rebuld/clean all my equiptment saves lots of money plus<br>i can chatch a lot of problems before they occur.Good luck to all of us<br>

OUR COMPANY IS CALLED TURF-ETC. WE ARE A FULL SERVICE LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT CONTRACTOR LOCATED IN SANFORD, FLORIDA. WE CURRENTLY HAVE TEN EMPLOYEES ON PAYROLL BUT THAT NUMBER SEEMS TO CHANGE WITH THE PHONE AND EXCUSES NOT TO WORK. I STARTED SERVICING THE REALTORS IN OUR AREAS. WE DID INITIAL CLEANUPS ON LAWNS AND ARBOR AND IRRO CARE. WE TOOK ON COMMERCIAL PROPERTYS LAST WINTER AND CURRENTLY MAINTAIN ONLY NINE ACCOUNTS THAT GROSS AROUND $ 20,000 TO $ 30,000 A MONTH PENDING ON EXTRA BILLING. WE ALSO HAVE A PROPERTY PRESERVATION DIVISION THAT GROSSES AROUND $ 5000.00 A MONTH. WHEN WE STARTED OUT WE HAD A 1995 MITSUBISHI MIRAGE CAR AND WILLINGNESS TO WORK.WE NOW HAVE A FEW MORE ITEMS BUT AS ANY OTHER LANDSCAPE OWNER WOULD SAY ONE OR TWO OF SOMETHING IS NEVER ENOUGH OR WAS THAT A.A. <p>1998 FORD F150 LONGBED<br>1998 FORD F150 SHORTBED<br>1994 FORD F150 LONGBED<br>2000 MAZDA B2500<br>1999 7X18X4 DEBRIS TRAILER<br>1999 7X16FT MAIT TRAILER<br>1999 6X12FT MAIT TRAILER<br>1999 6X12FT ENCLOSED TRAILER<br>7 ECHO SRM-2400 LINE TRIMMERS<br>6 ECHO PE-2400 EDGERS<br>5 ECHO HC 1500 HEDGE TRIMMERS<br>2 ECHO SHC-2100 POLE TRIMMERS<br>1 ECHO SRS-2400 AGRESSOR TREE SAW<br>5 ECHO 46HT BACKPACK BLOWERS<br>2 ECHO PB2100 HAND HELD BLOWERS<br>2 ECHO CS-3000 CHAINSAWS<br>1 ECHO CS-4400 CHAINSAW<br>1 GREAT DANE SURFER ( OLD STYLE )AWESOME!<br>1 TORO 48' WALKBEHIND <br>1 BILLY GOAT VACCUUM<br>2 LITTLE WONDER STREET BLOWERS ( AWESOME )<p>WE STARTED AS A ONE MAN OPERATION AT $ 65,000 GROSSED OUR FIRST YEAR. I MADE UNDER POVERTY AT $ 14,000. I THINK WE CURRENTLY ARE AROUND $ 300,000. + OR - . PROBABLY BETTER GET WITH BILL PHAGAN AND GET SERIOUS ABOUT GROWING THIS L.M.O. IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. REMEMBER GREEN SIDE UP AND DE OPPRESSO LIBER ! GREEN BERET TURNED GREEN GRASS CUTTER.

Grasshopper (Brad)<p>I'll give you my opinion on your questions but this may not be the best place to do it (off topic). Write me directly at bsmith@wimberley-tx.com if you're still contemplating this field for a career.<p>

Hello!! <br>I am a small landscaper in Georgia trying to <br>build a big business in hopes to run several crews. I would like to also branch out and be able to do installations while my crews are doing the maintenance end of it. I hope to share my experiences and knowledge with everybody as well as learn as much as i can from the big dogs out there. Look forward to talking with you all.

WELL HERE GOES,<br>I have been a member for about 6 months.<br>I have been the lawncare business for over five years part-time. The I started the business just spraying lawns and only that.<br>The first year the business was only $9000.00 gross in reciepts. Now in just five years and one part-time man it is over $33,000.00 in spraying alone. I just got into mowing. Can't make much $ around in my area. Too many mowing for $15.00 and $25.00/ yard. Do have one account, big deal. I just acquired a compact tractor and seeder to establish lawns and to reseed lawns. That is where the $ is. Look to go full-time in 2 years. To good of pay where I am now.<p>EQUIPMENT<br>1 GMC 1500 4X4 PICKUP AND LOOKIN FOR A ANOTHER.<br>1 300 GAL TANK & ELECTRIC HOSE REEL<br>1 USED BUNTON 44&quot; HYDRO WALK BEHIND MOWER<br>1 EARTHWAY PUSH SPREADER<br>1 TOW BEHIND FERTILIZER SPREADER.<br>1 USED RYAN WALK BEHIND AREATOR.<br>1 TRAILER 6X9 <br>1 TRAILER 6X18<br>99' NEW HOLLAND TC33D TRACTOR<br>BEEFCO OVERSEEDER 58&quot;<br>BEEFCO TILLER 58&quot;<br>STIHL STRING TRIMMER<br>WEEDEATER BLOWER. <p><br>I KNOW THIS IS NOT SUPER STUFF. BUT THIS BOY FROM CENTRAL KY IS GOING TO MAKE THIS A FULL TIME THING OR MY NAME ISN'T GREEN-N-GROW.<p>----------<br>GREEN-N-GROW LAWN CARE<br>

Hi...My name is Kathy and we hail from the Heart of Texas. My husband (Keith) and I are in our second year of owning and operating our own lawn and landscape company in a town of 175,000. We maintain 75 residential properties, 2 apt complexes and a large ford dealership. My husband, with 1 full time and 2 part-time employees provide full service lawn maintenance, mostly mowing, trimming & edging. I do all the landscape work, mainly establishing beds and planting spring and fall color. I sometimes use part-time help if the jobs are big. We currently focus on adding new clients, both residential and commercial with a four color brochure that we bulk mail using a mailing list we purchased from a local broker. I designed the tri-fold brochure using Microsoft Publisher, it's complete with color photos of our equipment and details a list of our services and other information about our business. We have received over 50% of our business from this brochure. Every lawn company should have one! We have invested our life savings and gave up professional careers to mow grass...what a LIFE! We Love It! I have been visiting this sight for over a year now and the information we have taken has been priceless. I am here reading posts every night. Thanks guys and gals for all your expert advice. And go easy on Stone!! He's not so bad! He adds a little spice to the pudding and writes some interesting Medievel Reading. lol<p>Current Equip List:<p>1 2000 61&quot; Turf Tiger 23hp Kohler<br>1 New 48&quot; Scag WB 14hp Kohler<br>1 New 36&quot; Scag WB 13Hp Kohler<br>2 Troy-Bilt 33&quot; mulchers<br>1 22&quot; Murray Push Mower<br>1 15&quot; Stabilized Multi Line Lawn Trimmer<br>2 Stihl FS85 Line Trimmers<br>1 Craftsman Line Trimmer (Old Faithful)<br>2 Stihl FC75 Stick Edgers<br>1 Stihl BR400 Back Pack Blower<br>1 Craftsman hand-held blower<br>1 Weedeater hand-held blower<br>1 Stihl HS80 24&quot; Hedge Trimmer<br>1 Stihl HL75 Extended Length Hedge Trimmer<br>1 Weedeater 18&quot; Hedge Trimmer<br>1 Chipper/Shredder<br>2 2000 F-150 Ford extended cab trucks<br>1 1999 12ft single-axle utility trailer with 4' ramp gate<br>1 2000 16ft tandem utility trailer with 4' ramp gate with locking trimmer racks<p>Family: We have 4 children, 1 son-29, 3 daughters, 26, 11, 10. We have been married 12 years (grown kids are mine from previous marriage). My husband and I are both 47 years old. Keith was an Airline Transport Pilot for 15 years and I was an accountant for 23 years. We now operate as Lawn Care Professionals full time. The Great Outdoors...man, that's hard to top! We're not getting rich...YET!...but it pays the bills. Last year we had a mild winter and mowed right through december and started back up this year february 1st. Didn't even notice the slack time in January because we were gearing up for Spring. Once again thanks for all your dedication to this forum!<p>----------<br>Kathy Hill<br>